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Hi everybody,

I'm having some difficulty with installing Windows using the latest release of boot-camp 1.4.

I'm pretty sure that the problem really isn't with bootcamp.

Here is an outline of the problems I've been having:

1. I downloaded the latest release of boot-camp (and installed it on my computer) successfully. I own both Window's XP Home and Window's Vista Ultimate Edition.

2. Well, I decided to install' Vista Ultimate' as it is the latest version. This by the way is an OEM version of Windows purchased online. That installation went well, everything preceding smoothly.

Then came time to put the registration code in! Once I found the registration sticker, I attempted to put the registration code in.

It kept telling me that my registration code was incorrect (the writing on that sticker is particularly small), which was annoying in itself, so of course like any good trooper I kept retyping (10 times in all); this became thoroughly tiresome after awhile; and then I noticed a blue hyper link down on the bottom of the dialogue box (which when clicked gave me and explanation me as to what the error was). It told me "that the registration key was already in use".

Words cannot describe my feelings of anger and frustration at that point!! Microsoft gave me the option of purchasing another installation code. The thing that was the most frustrating is that I had already previously registered that copy to my own name.

3. At this point I became thoroughly frustrated. So I thought I wouldn't use Vista but install my old copy of window's XP home!

So I proceeded to go through exactly the same process that I had before.

I got to the point of needing to install Windows XP; and for some bizarre reason the Windows XP CD refused to boot! I suspected that my disk might be dirty and need a clean??

I managed to to get some help getting somebody to clean the CD for me, but unfortunately it still didn't do the job. The CD mounts Ok on the Macintosh desktop??

I'm probably not interested in installing Vista because that would mean I'd have to purchase another installation code most probably?

Do you think the difficulty with installing Windows XP is solely related to the CD not working properly? Or could it be some other reason why it's stalling?? On this machine I'm not interested in installing parallels as I want a boot-camp installation so I can dual boot.

Any help is fully appreciated.

Thanks

Malcolm

In OS X use the BootCamp assistant to remove the Windows partition completly. Then rerun the BootCamp assistant and use it to repartion your hard drive and continue from there.

I think you're correct in saying it's a Windows issue, my guess is that Vista may have left something behind suspecting you're tring to use a pirated copy.

Thank you for your response!

Last night I did exactly that; removed the Windows partition using bootcamp.

- reverting it to a single partition
- then repartitioning, being careful to restart the machine (warm boot).

- putting the Windows XP said the in the drive when bootcamp instructed me too.
- the CD spun appearing on the desktop correctly and then the screen went blank (I know this is usual just before Windows starts the installation process).

There was a message which appeared at the top of the screen asking me to insert a bootable CD?

For some reason Windows didn't boot from the prompt it was given from bootcamp (as I think it's is supposed to do)?